Google has asked the Federal Communications Commission to designate it as one of the administrators of a database for "white space" devices.For several years, Google has been among the companies urging the FCC to open up the "white spaces"--small amounts of spectrum between broadcast television channels--to unlicensed use. Google joined the White Spaces Database Group in February to help move the project along, since one of the requirements of the white spaces plan is a database that devices can use to figure out which channels are available for use.
At that time, Google's Richard Whitt, Washington telecom and media counsel, said in a blog post that "we don't plan to become a database administrator ourselves, but do want to work with the FCC to make sure that a white spaces database gets up and running." However, Google announced just such a plan Monday evening, revealing its proposal that "the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC" or "Commission") designate Google to be administrator of a TV bands geolocation database.
Google wants to build 'white spaces' database
